It's Special Olympics time again!

Well, it's Special Olympics time again. My university hosts the state Special Olympics games each year. So starting yesterday into today we've had about 2,500 special Olympic athletes, chaperons, families, and coaches descend onto campus. It's always a lot of fun because I honestly believe these people are the single most pure hearted people in the state. The athletes are so much fun and so happy and friendly it's amazing. And the families, coaches, and chaperons are the nicest people on earth. So we love it when they come -- even though it's TONS of work for us. Because of the nature of the athletes, our hall staff, housekeeping staff, and maintenance staff are kept hopping 24 hours a day for three days. We are all completely wiped at the end, but it's WELL worth it.

Now if you've never been involved with Special Olympics the let me explain that the athletes range from very mildly to very very severely disabled both mentally and physically. So we see a wide range of issues and learn a LOT. I can't say how awesome this event is and how amazing the people are.

It does, however, always present some funny stories. Not in a making fun of anyone way -- but just in a natural kind of way.

Last night around 2am the Terre Haute police found a young man with Down's syndrome walking around 7th and Wabash -- just off the south side of campus. His speech was very limited, but they brought it back to campus to find his group. All athletes have a chaperons and/or family member who is supposed to be with them at all times, but every now and then the athlete's curiosity gets the best of them and they wonder off. So they get this young man back to campus and contact the SO headquarters. Since he does not talk much, they were having a hard time locating his group. So one of the other groups adopted him for the night and they all decided they would work it out in the morning.

Around 8am a family from a local hotel calls the Terre Haute police frantically looking for their son who was missing. Turns out the young man was NOT with Special Olympics. His family was just in town visiting family and he had wondered out of their hotel room when they were sleeping. The police, with SO in town, naturally assumed since he was not in their database that he had to be with SO so they dropped him off here. Luckily he was reunited with his family and all is well.

My response: "Are you freaking kidding me?? Our police are now kidnapping Down's kids and forcing them to the SO headquarters?? What is this? Arizona??!!"